Data card holder

ABSTRACT

A data card holder for rapid releasable insertion and capture of a compact data storage card containing emergency medical and personal information, including a front cover plate defining an opening and a void for releasable insertion and capture of a data card.

SEQUENCE LISTING

Not applicable.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable. The present application is an original and first filed United States Utility Patent Application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OR PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to devices worn on the person for holding personal and medical information, and more particularly to a housing configured as a dog tag or a bracelet for holding personal and medical information.

2. Discussion of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR §§1.97, 1.98:

It is well known that persons vulnerable to sudden threats to health and those liable to becoming lost or somehow incapacitated may wear apparatus that contains or provides important medical and personal information relating to the wearer. Several recently issued patents show various devices for holding, carrying, and providing personal and medical information on an electronic storage medium.

For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,127, to Michel, teaches an internally-illuminated medical data card in a credit card format containing a summary of the medical history of the bearer germane to his existing medical condition. The card, which is of laminated construction, includes a core panel formed by front and rear plastic sections having light-transmitting properties, a metallized layer functioning as a double-faced mirror being sandwiched therebetween. Nested in the respective faces of the core sections are front and rear film transparencies containing medical data in a directly legible scale, the combined data affording the required summary. The long edges and one end of each core section are in a concave formation to define reflective convex terminations whereby light entering the remaining flat end is transmitted through the section is reflected by the convex terminations and by the mirror to provide multiple internal reflection, causing the light to illuminate the transparencies to enhance their readability.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,561 to Reeves, shows a bodily worn device which provides the wearer's medical records in a digital format. The records include such information as drug prescriptions, medical history, organ donor instructions, and personal identification for use in an emergency or routine medical situation. Embodiments include an electronic dog-tag for military and law enforcement applications. The device includes: an outer safety shell, in the form of a medallion, or watch with markings which identify it as a medical device, and a digital storage media such as a computer chip or high density silicon media, and non-contact wireless electrical power to the device and non-contact wireless retrieval of records. Security features include encrypted software and user password for medical records confidentially. The invention includes features for retrieving and displaying stored records on computer screens via a wireless interface wand or by providing access to a central website via the Internet with use of a user serial number password.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,060 to Christian, discloses a clock for the attachment of a dog's collar or the like that indicates the passage of time according to the dog's or pet's frame of reference. For example, the rate of passage of time may be such that for each human day of time passage, seven dog or pet days are reflected by the clock's display. Additional data, displays, and information may be carried, manipulated, entered and chosen by the use of user control buttons or the like. A battery may supply power to internal circuitry that drives a display of liquid crystals (LCD). The data carried by the pet chronometer and identification tag may be held in EEPROM such that a power failure does not erase the data. This is particularly useful for any health data or contact information that is incorporated or recorded into the pet chronometer and identification tag.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,877,742 to Klink, shows a medical identification bracelet which has electronic circuitry to display detailed, patient medical information. The bracelet is formatted using a programming station (PC) into which is entered up to 16 k bits of medical & personal information about an individual. The programming station transfers the formatted information to the bracelet via an infra-red interface device. The medical identification bracelet has an LCD view screen which displays, in a scrolling fashion, data when a button is pushed. The information may be scrolled in either direction, paused and set to free run. All information is available at the display. The character size is selected to be visible to the unaided eye. The display is illuminated for low light reading.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,988 to Kraus, teaches a system of identification for persons having special needs. The system includes an identification tag having a unique identifier for a wearer and a wearer resistant squeeze-and-turn buckle for associating the tag with the wearer having special needs. In the preferred embodiment, the system also includes a computerized system for identifying the persons having special needs.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,892 to Hooglander, shows a system and method for carrying personal and/or medical information includes a locket designed to contain a memory electronic device to store information about the user. The locket is design to be opened to provide ready access to a machine readable portion of the memory device by a reader. The locket is combined with a pocket in a shoe to carry the locket unobtrusively. The locket and pocket can include a logo which will alert medical or other emergency personnel as to the existence of the locket during an emergency.

Insert holders for substantially planar materials are also known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,593 to Grosso, teaches a transparent insert holder of the type characterized by being adapted to receive and protect cards such as photographs, permits and the like. The insert holder includes first and second four-sided plastic sheets for forming front and back sides of the insert holder and a four-sided double-sided adhesive frame for being adhesively positioned between said first and second plastic sheets for securing said first and second sheets together in to form the holder. The adhesive frame defines an opening for receiving a card such as a photograph or identification card therein.

The foregoing patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a housing preferably configured as either a dog tag or a bracelet and adapted specifically to hold and protect an electronic media data card containing personal and medical infomation regarding the wearer.

It is primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved portable article that may be comfortably and conveniently worn by a person either as a dog tag type of necklace or as a bracelet.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved housing for containing personal and medical information that provides healthcare professionals immediate and easy access to the information contained on the media contained within the housing.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a data card housing that facilitates easy updating of personal and medical information by the user or health care providers for the user.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a novel housing for containing and protecting personal and medical information that can easily be modified to function as ornamental jewelry.

The foregoing summary broadly sets out the more important features of the present invention so that the detailed description that follows may be better understood, and so that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

Accordingly, before explaining the preferred embodiment of the disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and the arrangements set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The inventive apparatus described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.

Also, it is to be understood that the terminology and phraseology employed herein are for descriptive purposes only, and not limitation. Where specific dimensional and material specifications have been included or omitted from the specification or the claims, or both, it is to be understood that the same are not to be incorporated into the appended claims.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based may readily be used as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims are regarded as including such equivalent constructions as far as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Rather, the fundamental aspects of the invention, along with the various features and structures that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the present invention, its advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded lower left front perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the inventive data card housing for containing and protecting personal and medical emergency information;

FIG. 2 is a lower left front perspective view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a front view thereof;

FIG. 4 is side view in elevation thereof;

FIG. 5 is a rear view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a bottom end elevational view thereof;

FIG. 7 is a top end plan view thereof;

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of an exemplary data card for releasable insertion into the card holder of FIGS. 1-7 and 13-15;

FIG. 9 is a side view in elevation thereof;

FIG. 10 is a rear view thereof;

FIG. 11 is a bottom end view thereof;

FIG. 12 is a top end plan view thereof;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional front view showing the front half of the data card holder removed;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view in elevation of the data card holder shown empty; and

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view in elevation showing the data card holder with a data card contained therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 15, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components in the various views, there is illustrated therein a new and improved data card holder for containing, carrying, and protecting personal and medical emergency information, the first preferred embodiment of which is generally denominated 100 herein.

In a first preferred embodiment, 100, the inventive apparatus is configured as a dog tag. In this embodiment the data card holder comprises a substantially rigid front cover plate 110, having a substantially planar front side 120 and a partial perimeter wall 130. The data card holder next includes a substantially rigid back cover plate 140 having a substantially planar rear side 150 and a partial perimeter wall 160 with substantially the same dimensions as the front cover plate partial wall. The front cover plate and the back cover plate each include fastening means for attaching one to the other. Preferably, such means comprises an adhesive applied to the contact surfaces 170, 180 of the partial perimeter walls of the front and back covers, respectively, or friction fit pin-and-hole structure, 190, or screws threadably inserted through one side and into the other, in a well known manner.

At least one cover plate includes a interior data card port walls 200 which conform generally to the shape of the data card intended for use with the inventive apparatus. The other cover plate may include correspondingly shaped port walls which cooperate with the port walls on its companion cover plate, or it may simply have a planar interior surface, in which event the port walls on only one cover plate define the data port for holding a data card. In either case, when the partial perimeter walls of the two cover plates are approximated and the cover plates affixed to one another, an opening 210 at the bottom portion 220 of the holder is formed, as well as an interior void 230 within the holder, such that a data card 240 can be accommodated and removably inserted into and captured within the data card port walls 200. The data card is captured and retained by retention means 250, preferably comprising ramps, springs, or resilient material disposed on the interior surface 260 of one or both of the cover plates, and preferably including a recess 270 for engagement with a surface feature on the data card, collectively providing a releasable snap fit in the port.

As will be readily appreciated by those with skill in the art, the data card 240 captured and carried by the data card holder of the present invention is intended to include wearer identification, health and other insurance information, patient data relating to drug sensitivities, allergies, known medical conditions, and the like, and information providing contact information relating to the wearer's treating health professionals. It preferably comprises a removable flash memory card containing data stored in a format readable by a conventional personal computer having a suitable card reading device. At present, numerous kinds of compact data storage cards are available in the marketplace, including compact flash cards, secure digital (SD) cards, multimedia cards, smart media cards, SD picture cards, memory sticks, microdrives, and the like. These and others of like kind—i.e., compact non-volatile memory data storage devices—are all contemplated for potential use in the data card holder of the present invention.

The data card holder of the present invention thus provides a readily portable apparatus for containing, transporting, and protecting personal and medical information. It is adapted and designed for use by emergency personnel to quickly obtain critical information about the wearer that might bear upon the administration of medical treatment. Access to the data card requires only that the data card be grasped and removed from the holder.

In the first preferred embodiment, the data card holder includes through holes 280, 290 disposed through each cover plate proximate the top portion 300 of the data card holder so as to provide means for inserting suitably sturdy chain for hanging the holder around a wearer's neck, in the manner of a dog tag. However, the holder may be provided with means for mounting the holder on an elastic or expansible wrist band or a metal or semi-rigid hoop and thereby functioning as a kind of bracelet. In this configuration, the front and back cover plates may be provided with a slight matching curvature to conform to the curvature of the wrist when worn. As will be readily appreciated, the back cover plate may either integrated into the band itself or affixed to the band in the manner of a wrist watch or other bracelet mount. Alternatively, it may be provided with attachment structure so that it is releasably attachable to conforming structure on the wrist band. Such attachment structure may include, for instance, tangs for slidable insertion into mating channels on the wrist band, or clips for snap-fit insertion in the case of injection molded parts. Numerous suitable mounting methods are well known in the art and do not warrant particular consideration, as novelty in the instant case does not reside in such features. However, the data card holder features of the first preferred embodiment carries over into this alternative embodiment, and all of the structural elements are generally preserved.

The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. While there is provided herein a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of this invention, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, dimensional relationships, and operation shown and described. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed, as suitable, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like.

Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims. 

1. A data card holder having a bottom portion and a top portion, said apparatus comprising: a front cover plate having a partial perimeter wall; a back cover plate having a partial perimeter wall with substantially the same dimensions as the front cover plate partial wall; fastening means to attach said front cover plate and said back cover plate; wherein at least one of said cover plates includes interior data card port walls conforming generally to the shape of the data card intended for use said data card holder; and wherein when said front and back cover plates are attached with said fastening means, said partial perimeter walls are approximated and said cover plates define an opening at the bottom portion of said data card holder, as well as an interior void within said data card holder, such that a data card can be accommodated and removably inserted into and captured within said data card port walls.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including retention means for capturing and retaining a data card removably inserted into the opening in the bottom portion of said data card holder.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said retention means is selected from the group consisting of ramps, springs, and resilient material, said retention means disposed on an interior surface of at least one of said cover plates.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data card port walls are shaped to accept and retain a compact non-volatile data storage device.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the data storage device is a compact data storagee card selected from the group consisting of compact flash cards, secure digital cards, multimedia cards, smart media cards, secure digital picture cards, microdrives, and memory sticks.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said data card holder includes through holes disposed through each of said cover plates in said top portion so as to provide means for inserting a chain for hanging said apparatus around a wearer's neck.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data card holder includes through holes disposed through each of said cover plates in said top portion so as to provide means for inserting a chain for hanging said apparatus around a wearer's neck.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further includes mounting means for mounting said apparatus on a band suitable for wearing on a wearer's wrist.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of said front and back cover plates include a slight matching curvature to conform to the curvature of the wearer's wrist when worn.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said front cover plate has a substantially planer front side.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said back cover plate has a substantially planar rear side.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fastening means comprises adhesive applied to contact surfaces on said partial perimeter walls of said front and back cover plates. 